Robert Molloy
Question:44 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Justice the plans, if any, she has to introduce the video taping of interviews carried out in Garda stations.
Written Answers. - Electronic Recording of Garda Interviews.
Gay Mitchell
Question:51 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice the current position regarding tape recording and video recording of the questioning of suspects by the gardaí.
Ivor Callely
Question:58 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Justice the progress that has been made with implementing the recommendations of the Martin Committee report, March 1990; if a pilot scheme has been agreed; the recommendations, if any, that have been considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to answer Questions Nos. 44, 51 and 58 together.
The Committee to Enquire into Certain Aspects of Criminal Procedures (the Martin Committee) made certain recommendations in relation to the electronic recording of interviews. As a result, in March 1993, I set up a Steering Committee (the Smyth Committee) firstly, to make recommendations to me on the features of a pilot scheme for audio and audio-video recording of Garda questioning of suspects in selected Garda stations and subsequently, to make arrangements to monitor the pilot scheme in relation to the likely effects of audio and audio/video recording on the criminal justice system as a whole, and the extent to which the pilot scheme shows that an effective and economic basis can be found for a national scheme.
The Smyth Committee, which includes representatives from the Garda Síochána, the Attorney General, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Bar Council, the Incorporated Law Society and my Department submitted their initial report on the features of the pilot scheme to me recently for consideration. In it they recommended that a preliminary pilot scheme for audio and audio/video recording be introduced in the Tallaght Garda station. I approved the features of this preliminary pilot scheme and it commenced on 11 May.
It is likely that this scheme will be in operation for a number of months in order to ascertain the level of acceptance on a voluntary basis by suspects of electronic recording and to gain experience regarding the equipment, the accommodation, the training and the procedural guidelines. It is envisaged that the scheme will be extended to a further three Garda Districts at that stage.